Angels, Jays, Orioles, Phillies Are Pursuing Cordero

6:54pm: Bean Stringfellow, Cordero's agent, wouldn't comment on whether the Angels were looking at Cordero as a closer or as Jordan Walden's setup man, reports DiGiovanna. Stringfellow called it "a delicate situation."

6:21pm: The Angels, Blue Jays, Orioles and Phillies are all pursuing Cordero, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). These could well be the four finalists Gonzalez referenced.

5:29pm: Free agent reliever Francisco Cordero expects to sign with a new team by the end of the week, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. Four clubs are finalists for Cordero; Gonzalez's source identifies the Angels as one of the four, but the Rays are not in the mix. One of the unknown teams "is a championship-contending team looking to slot [Cordero] in the eighth inning," and Gonzalez speculates this could be the Phillies, looking at Cordero as Jonathan Papelbon's setup man.

The Angels, Red Sox, Reds and Orioles have all been linked to Cordero this winter, though Boston's acquisitions of Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon probably eliminate them from the hunt. The Reds are probably also out due to their signing of Ryan Madson, though they fit Gonzalez's description of a title contender and Cordero could be open to remaining in a familiar environment to chase a World Series.

He would benefit greatly from moving to a pitchers park. I still think Cordero is trying to find a closing job somewhere, which probably wouldn’t happen with the Angels. I know the Angels already have a young closer that is was slightly inconsistent, so who knows, maybe Cardiac Cordero would be closing for the Angels. Anaheim might be his best shot.

He would benefit greatly from moving to a pitchers park. I still think Cordero is trying to find a closing job somewhere, which probably wouldn’t happen with the Angels. I know the Angels already have a young closer that is was slightly inconsistent, so who knows, maybe Cardiac Cordero would be closing for the Angels. Anaheim might be his best shot.

The Angels seem like the wisest destination for Coco Cordero. He could take over at the Closer role and move Walden to the setup position. Walden looked way to wild, and although he has an electric fastball, he walks to many people

The title is very misleading towards the Phillies. One reporter speculates that the WS contending team could be the Phillies and from that Mark title “Phillies pursuing.” There is NO fact, why title it as if you actually know something. Poor journalism if you can call it that.

Btw Phillies pen is full and would have to options someone who was on the team last year (stutes or Herndon) to make this move. I just don’t see the logic for a team just under the cap and having to move a young arm with at least 1 year of successful MLB experience. I’m sure the contender is the LAA….

Fransisco Cordero has been a much more durable reliever over the last 2 years obviously but not that much more effective. I don’t like his declining strikeout numbers at all. I don’t like the idea of contact in the late innings of games.

Brad Lidge, durability is obviously a concern but it’s mitigated by the depth behind him. He pitched fairly well after coming back from a major shoulder injury.

I think Brad Lidge would come a lot cheaper than Cordero, leaving flexibility for a deadline move. I also think he profiles as a great mentor for a young guy like Justin DeFratus. I think for the price, you’d be getting more value from paying Lidge $1-2 million than paying Cordero $5-7 million dollars.

The biggest problem I’ve seen with the O’s and relievers is that they only look at saves and era in deciding on big contracts… see Gonzales, M and Gregg, K before they were signed by Baltimore for more information

Any agent representing a relief pitcher, who is worth his salt, will make the Phillies the “mystery team” in any pitch. Amaro’s propensity for overpayment, both in terms of money and years, DEMANDS it.